Sparger



A. HOCK- SPARGEIR 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 28, 1947 n 4 f m M w rm E WH A m N mf @um MVN M A \m.m A.. W. um. y Nm L. Qn, Y l .l B m. @bm L n@ .IUL WN QQ N A@ IAII N a j. ,om mh. n iV bb 4 @w ...wo n o o o v o o o o o 4 o ..m\\wm oo owo u n v ooooo ooooooooooooonfoo oo oo .ooo o. .0.: .iLNNu OOO O OOOOnW OOOOO.OOOOO.O ^W. OOO O .xz h O o O .Q M Oo iam .n NN Mb c n Q N Nv ,uw MN.. QN EN ww QN 1| .QN mm, QN |||\I||\ v LE N? ru hm un IN hw uw hn,

April 7, 1959 A. HOCK 2,633,992

SPARGER Filed April 28, 1947 A4 sheets-sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

LYINHM E I QW@ E ,#50

Patented Apr. 7, 1953 STATES PATENT QFFICE SPARGER` Alvin=Hock, Cincinnati; Ohio Application April 28,i1947, Serial No. 744,488

(Cl. 21d-150.8).

13 Claims;

'Ihisfinvention.; relates-.to .improvements in. a..

straining ydeviceparticula rly .a,.,device..for.strain: ingggwort to obtain thesyrup from whichbeer is made..

Thedevice disclosed in thisapplication. is an improvement on applicants pending application.

Serial No. 708,261, led November 11946,' and specificallypertains tov an improved means for sparging the hop flowers and cereals forming .a

'Part of the wort from which the syrup is strained..

It Y is-to be understood howevervthat the de: viceI of the present inventiongis.not1lin'1ited. to tl1e1vvstrainingY of Wort but may bel employed whereverA itis desired'to. strain .a liquidjfrom a solid:

Itl istherefore them principalobject of the present invention to provide in avstrainer an.

thaty are automatically opera'ted'fito spargev or* WashY the solid particles in af'mixture` being strained onlyV lat the f time thatv` a sparging y lor washing operation'isA most conducive to desired results.

Itisy i also an4A objectv *0f j the present invention tot providey a spargingf" device for sparging Vsolid particles such as hop-flowers andv cereals which a'reusedl inthe Ymanufacture "or brewing `of v'beer andaretherefore subject to formingjpocketsU thatfdonot readily drain and wherein'saidsolid; particles are-agitated orturned over sothatr whennormally hard to drain pocketsare` posi tioned so that drainage:readilyftalresplace eitherr byxgravity orthrough theagency of asparging medium.

A still Vfurther object of the 'present invention is 1the provision uffaV device for'accomplishing the foregoing objects which is substantially sim,- ple in construction; economical to produce con.-

sistent with the results to `be obtained; and fully automatic vin* operation;

Other'n objects and advantages of, the `present invention;v should be readilyapparentlfzy;` reference to the following` specication considered in conjunction with the accompanying r drawings forming apart thereof .and `it is to beunderstood that anymodications may be made in the exact 5 structural: details there... shown Aand. described,A

withinV the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from or exceeding the spirit ofthe` invention.

In the drawings:V

Fig. 1 isa longitudinal sectional view through a` strainer of the present inventionembodying the improvements oftheV present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the strainer as seenfrom line 2-2` on Fig.l 3 isk an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through one. end of the strainerV as seen,

from e line 3.-3. on Fig.. 1.

Fig. 4 is ,an enlarged fragmentary plan view of` a plate which lconstitutes the strainer plate of the strainer.

Fig. 5 isa fragmentarylongitudinal sectional,

view through Fig., 4 as seen from line 5.-5= on said` Fig.'` 4..

Fig.` 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through'4 the strainerplate of Fig.'4 taken at right angles to the section of Fig. 5 on line 6-6 ,on saidFigni.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of the improved sparger of the present invention as seen. for example from line 1-1 on. Fig.` 1.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional .view through thesparger of the presentV invention'as seen from line 8-8 on'Fig. v'7;

Fig, 9 is a longitudinal sectional view` throughvv the sparger yof the presentA invention talseniat` right angles to Fig. 8on line 91-9 on` said Fig.V 8.

Fig: 10 is anuenlarged elevationalview'of thev control mechanism'forthe sparger as vseen from.`

lineV lll-l0 on Fig.; 2.

Fig: 11 is a ltransversesectionalvievv through.' the sparger control mechanism takenV atlright,A angles to Fig. 10 as seen'fromline` lI--llA on- Fig. 10.

Fig. l2`is` an elevational view of thesparger" operating mechanism'asseen fromA line l2-I2- on Fig. 11.

Fig.'13 is an enlarged transverse sectional view" or the sparging mechanism as heretofore employed and which is supplementary to the improved sparger of the present invention and' which section is taken on line |3-l3 onxFig 1. Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit` involved inthe automatic control of the) sparger of the present invention.

Throughout the severalviews of the drawings. similarreference characters are employed `to de: note` thesame or similanparts..

As was notedabove this .invention pertainsto improvements ,in astraining mechanismor de vice for straining liquid from mixtures that contain solid particles such as the straining of syrup from wort in which is suspended the hop flowers and cereals employed in the manufacture or brewing of beer. As was further noted above this invention pertains to improvements on applicants pending application Serial No. 708,261 which was led November 7, 1946.

As illustrated in Fig l the improved strainer of the present invention includes a housing having ends I5 and I 6 together with a front I'I and a back I8. The said housing is closed by a top comprising a flat portion I9 and an inclined portion 2li. Said top portions I9 and 20 are respectively provided with doors 2| and 22 whereby access to the interior of the housing is aiorded through the said housing top sections. The housing end wall I6 is likewise provided with a door or doors 22' to permit access to the interior of the housing from said end thereof. Adjacent the other end I5 an extension housing 23 is provided having on its top a door 24 whereby access to the interior of the housing from the said end is permitted. From the foregoing it will be noted that the housing can be readily entered for purposes of cleaning the same and maintaining it in a sanitary condition. f

Within the housing is a strainer troughindicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 25 and which strainer trough 25 comprises longitudinal members 26 and 21 conveniently formed as angles. The angles 26 and 2'! are suitably spaced from one another and retained in said spaced position to receive a strainer plate 2S, and which strainer plate, due to its size and weight is formed of a plurality of relatively short plates laid edge to edge in forming the bottom 0f the strainer trough-25. In the inner end of the strainer trough 25 is mounted a hinge member or bar 29 between the side walls of the housing which, 'as will later be made clear, is for purposes of facilitating ow through the trough 25. In order to complete the trough 25 the upstanding or vertically disposed legs of angles 26 and 21 each has, respectively secured to it a strainer trough side 30 and 3 I. Y

The other end of the strainer trough 25 is supported by vertical adjustment and each of the trough angles 26 and 21 projects beyond the strainer bottom or plate 28 and is pivotally connected to the lower end of an adjusting screw 32. Each adjusting screw 32 has a threaded connection with a nut interiorly of a housing 33 supported by the top portion I9, There are two adjusting screws, nuts and housing 33 which are adapted to be simultaneously adjusted by an actuating shaft 34 extending transversely of the device and supported on the top I9.

The material to be strained, wort for example, is brought from the brewing kettle by way of a pipe, not shown in the drawings, connected through flange coupling 35 to the intake nozzle Y 36. The nozzle 36 has its discharge end elongated as at 31 in Fig. 2 so as to spread the incoming wort across the bottom or strainer plate 28 of the trough 25.

The trough 25, illustrated in the drawings as substantially horizontal, may be adjusted to have an upward or downward inclination depending upon the amount and rate of delivery of the material or wort through the nozzle 33. In other words if the rate of delivery is rapid and the material flows to the discharge endV thereof at a rate which does not permit sufficient initial drainage the adjusting screws 32 may be actuated to effect an upward inclination of the said trough n 25 thereby dissipating some of the force or movement of the material so that the proper drainage is effected through the strainer plate or plates 23. On the other hand if the rate of cw through the nozzle 36 is such that the material does not reach the discharge end of the trough the adjusting screws 32 are actuated to downwardly drain the material and thereby supplement the rate of ow in the trough.

The bottom or screen 28 of the trough 25 may take any suitable or desirable form insofar as draining apertures therein are concerned, preferably, taking the form illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 which is in the nature of elongated apertures 38 of quite narrow width and having an outward flare 39 on the underside of the said strainer plate. This construction is not new with applicant but has been found to be very efficient in operation.

The trough 25 may be designed as the initial straining station and the ow from said trough is intercepted by a deflectorplate 43. The deilector plate 4B is a solid sheet or plate and has its one end hingedly mounted at 4l to the strainer housing back wall I8. The free end of the deflectcr plate 40 rests on the upper end of housing intermediate wall 42 which extends longitudinally of the strainer housing and is located substantially beneath the forward side of the strainer trough 25 all as seen in Fig, 2. The deflector plate 46 discharges into the space 43 between the housing front wall II and intermediate wall 42 and which space 43, in turn, empties into the receiving tank 44 on the upper end of which the strainer is mounted. Instead of hinging the deector plate 4B at 4I, this plate 4G may have its inner end removably secured to the housing wall I8 since with either a hinged connection or a removable one the underside of said plate can be readily cleaned as can the housing and parts located therebeneath as will be later made clear.

The wet solid material, or specifically, the solid particles and remaining liquid being strained passes from the strainer trough 25 between the adjusting screws 32 and discharges against the end wall IE but preferably is received by a deilector plate 45 to be directed to the second straining station or trough located immediately below the trough 25. The second straining trough effects the final drainage of the syrup or liquid from the wort or other material being processed and is in direct communication with the tank 44.

The second or lower strainer trough conveniently has its sides formed. by the strainer housing intermediate wall 42 and a second intermediate wall or an inset portion 4S of the strainer back wall I8. The said walls 42 and 46 each have secured to them angle irons 4l and 48 which extend longitudinally of the strainer housing and at an upward angle. Mounted on the angle irons 4l' and 48 is a strainer plate 49, again conveniently formed of a plurality of plates abutting against one another for the full length of the housing. The wet solid material, or specically, the solid particles and remaining liquid being strained is adapted to be power actuated upwardly of the strainer plate or bottom 49 and any suitable or desirable means may be employed for this purpose preferably however use is made of the means illustrated in the drawings and to be presently described.

The wet material, or specifically, the solid particles and remaining liquid being strained is actuated relative to the strainer plate 49 by a series of constantly moving rakelike members 53 which are equally spaced from one another. The rake likamembersg areizeaclrxprovided wlthiavseries y bersllrzabove-theeteethxl are .provided/within i body portion 53 havingzitsiupperfsend: turned to forniL a lflange 4Bdmthrough which' the said ralrest are f attached..toa carrier secured tos and-.Hex-Y Y tending :from: spaced links or endless linlrs .chains E61-andv 56a, eachras vshovvn mostfclearlyzin-Figlz 1 in connection.l with link chain4 SE-Z'has. 'an` upper reach 51 and a lower reach 58 Lwhich are determined byf sprockets "59 .and f' 66T," at opposite ends ofifthefstrainerf housing; The `sprockets :595may be termed-i the f drivingv sprockets -1 while*- the sprockets 6B are f-the idleror driven sprockets.

The -sprocketsf'lare-secured 'tol a =driving shaft B'll 1 suitably journaled in f bearings- -1 located exe teriorly of tlfiestrainer housing andV one fof which bearings v'is illustrated infFig; if-and indicated by the referencenumeral @2 and-disclosed 'onefl end: offshaft El projecting beyondthis-bearing 62'to receive a pulley 63 illustrated othetgroove typeto receive a driving belt `from driving-motor (not shown) From the foregoing it will be noted-that rotation ofthe shaft Si and-the-fsprockets `ileifect a'fcontinuous movement "or the chain reaches 51 and. 58 "witha corresponding `continuous* movement of the rakes a' The rakes aresodesigned as to havea substantially scrapping contact with the strainer trough bottom or plate.;

49-ffor-pushing thesolid particles thereon up` wardlyof said vstrainer plate 19.A rIn ordervto supportthe; reaches `'lfancl- 5t of the chains 56 each' provided,l in `alignmentWith-one another;

with angle irons 641 andt withv the angleirons 64 supporting the Vupperchains reaches 5F! while the angle irons 65 support the lowenchainsreaches 58;

Therakes Silare adapted to ,discharge the maf terialkfromtheI strainer trough bottom or piate jinto a discharge'chutezfrom which the solid j particles are receivedy in asuitable receptacle, not shovvnfor are otherwise disposed of vlikewise notlshown. Priorto the discharge of lsaid solid drained or spent'tmaterialfrom the discharge chute. Et a sparging operation may be performed by any type .of 'spray and which spraying operaf.

tion as illustratcdin the. drawings..compris.es. the

use oa pipe E14 suitably mountedjasby hangers 63 andtii' disposed withinV the. strainer housing., extension 23'. Thesparging pipelfis providedl with a plurality. of ,.openings.. 'lwhereby a .spray 1|.. is...dirccted .against .the spentv hop. ri'lowers or..`

other. material .being drained. lnordertosupply the lspargingpip.e AEl with. a. sparging medium.. it is connected by a pipe12 .Witha spargingime,p

dium,. usuallyl waters. Y

The.. foregoing i descriptioni briefly sets-i forth., construction disclosed .in applicants above iden-a l tiied pending application.: 'Ihef--l method; and.

meansf; for sparging as. disclosedfin. said' applica tion and yjust described' hasbeen the practice for.

some years but the bestresults'havenotbeen .ob-

tained thereby. The material is primarilyofa nature that has 4a tendency to 'adhere and packv and thereby form pockets. Withinrthebodyrcf"the material that are notreadily drained; The tumbling of'vthe material aseffectedby the rake?- like members. El) opens up some of, .the pockets-. `but notall of them..V The sparging. mechanismI to be presently described. effectively disburses the said, hunched particles to thereby, open.` up f .the .f

pockets and LeHectf-a Vmore .completeftumblng'fandf expositionfof .the material.

Accordingly, the Spal-ging device of the present invention contemplatesfthe use 'offone orfmore sparging mechanisms Alocated. "beneath" the bot-- tom or`v strainer lplate Ml of the 'lowerl strainer trough; there being two such devices illustrated-1 in the drawings and `indicated in general fby the referencenumerals15and1&5:V The sparging'devices 15 and 16 'are substantially identical inicon`` struction and it is deemed sufficient -iffbut one `of them be describedindetail.

IAccordingly, the sparging device@ 5f comprises-r abodyfmember 11 of a length'substantially equal? to thewidth of thev'lower strainerA trough and therefore of fa length substantially equalfto the Width ofthe trough bottom or plate 49; Thebody member 11 is provided with-a channel 18l substantially` the full length thereof and isproV vided on its ends with ears 19 and which er1-- gage the angle-irons 41 'and 48 towhich they are attached as by screws'l. The bodymember 11 isprovided on its upper end 'with a'recesszreceiving a plate 83 provided throughoutits length with a series of small diameter apertures orh'oles 84. The apertures or holes 3i.arecounterboreclv from the bottom face of theplate 83 to give them the eiectof pressure nozzles vfor a'purpose presently to be described.

suitably threaded to receive av pipe: nipple 86'.. The pipe nipple il@ is connected. with' a .pipe 81 which convenientlyk extends. to the secondsparging mechanism 15. The pipe ill' isin turn connected with a supply pipe .88' which may go to the samesource'of sparging medium that the supply pipe 12 is connected .with or may be at different source of sparging medium. Y

The spargingdeviees 15 and liiaresocon.- structed that the upper surface of their .respec-y tive perforatedplates A e3 is .iiush with the upper.. surface of thetrough bottom. or strainer plate. 49. In practice the sparging. mechanisms andi 1S are locatedto .be between tivo of. the. strainer plates that form. the said trough bottom ligand the perforated plates d3.' therefore,v .each have abutting its .oppositelongitudinal edgesone ofthe individual strainer platesV that. make up.- the. trough bottoni or strainer p1ate ..l9.

Thev flow througnthepipe 8B Amay be effected. at ...spaced interi/als, that is, may here s. flow.` therethrough andthrough. the. sparging. devices. 15l and '15.only at .suchtmesae inatcrialis lying4 overth'eirlplate 83 Aor in the act .cibeingiassed tlxereover.` Forthis reason .the said now through the Vpipe .88 and the spargingv devices 15. and `1li;

take placewhen the rakes 59 Vare respectively in the approximate position, relative to .thespargingw devices l'and. leas.. illustrated` in Figi 1. In.

other. Words. the. material. being conveyed, or

pushed along the strainerv trough bottom or. strainer plate e9. extends a comparatively short. distance but ahead of it Whereforethc sparging, is effected during the time that the said rakes .59." move from approximately the position illustrated.

to a position justbeyend the spargingdevices .V1.5 and 16';

intermediate `the ends of" .the body member channel or duct18 fthe body member 11 is provided Witha dependingrlug 85.

end of the shaft 89 has depending therefrom an arm 92 the lower end of which is outwardly bent as a finger 93. The finger 93 is adapted to lie in a plane just inwardly of the endless chain 56. At suitable and appropriate points the chain 56 is provided with a roller 94 which moves in the plane of the nger 93.

In operation the rollers 94 are positioned so as to pick up the fingers 93 when it and its arm 92 are in the phantom line position 95 in Fig. 19 and to actuate the arm 95 from this phantom line position to the solid line position. The finger 93 is of such a length that it retains the arm 92 in the solid line position for the desired length of time to permit the above described movement of the rakes 59 from their illustrated positions with respect to sparging devices '|5 and 'i6 to a position beyond said sparging device and it is contemplated by way of example that this will permit the said rakes to cover a distance of from one fourth to one third of the distance between adjacent rakes, as this is substantially the distance ahead of each rake that the material eX- tends.

Mounted on the shaft 89 is a cam shaped roller 96 which as seen in Fig. 12 has a peripheral low portion 91 and a peripheral high portion 99 with a connecting rising peripheral portion |99 between them. In addition the shaft 89 has secured thereto and projecting therefrom an arm |9| provided at its outer end with an eye |92 to which is connected one end of coil spring |93. The other end of the spring |93 is connected to a similar eye |94 carried by a bracket |95 conveniently secured to the outer face of the inset strainer housing wall 46.

The spring |93 tends to rotate the crank 9| to a position for retaining crank arm 92 in the phantom line position 95, and it is against the re-` sistance of the spring |93 that the crankis actuated through the engagement of its finger 93 with the roller 94. In order to limit the movement. of the crank 9| by the spring |93 and to dispose the crank 9| in the phantom lines position the strainer housing inset wall 4.6 has secured to it a second bracket |95` carrying an adjustable abutment |91, to be engaged by the arm l 9| as illustrated in phantom line in Fig. l2.

Engaging with the periphery of the cam 96 is a roller |93 freely rotatably mounted at |99 to the end of an arm H9. The arm ||9 is secured to a shaft extending through the housing I |2 of an electric switch. The electric switch is carried by a bracket ||3 secured to the outer surface of the strainer housing inset wall 46.

'I'he electric switch is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 14 and comprises contacts H4 and H4 with the former of which is connected a wirel ||5 that extends from a commercial electric voltage source such for example 110 volts A. C. The electric switch further contemplates a switch plate ||6 adapted to bridge the contacts I4 and H4 and which switch plate H6 is connected with the electric switch shaft ||I to be thereby actuated. The switch plate |6 is yieldably biased as by spring tending to open the switch contacts H4 and H4.

The electric switch is electrically connected with a magnetically operated valve l illustrated in elevation in Fig. 9 and diagrammatically illustrated in cross section in Fig. 14. As shown in Fig. 14 by valve Il comprises a valve body H9 having interiorly thereof a valve seat |l9 with which cooperates valve member |29. The valve member |29 is connected with a magnetically actuated plunger |2| which constitutes or forms the movable core of a solenoid coil |22. The solenoid coil |22 has its one end connected by a wire |23 with the electric switch contact H4. The solenoid coil |22 has its other end connected by a wire |24 with the commercial electric voltage. The valve stem or plunger |2| is spring biased as by a spring |25 which abuts on one end with the plunger |2| and on its other end with a fixed abutment |26 and which spring |25 tends to maintain the valve |29 in a closed position as illustrated in Fig. 14.

rIhe operation of the sparging mechanism of the present invention is believed obvious from the foregoing description since when the rakes 59 approach the positions illustrated in Fig. 1 a chain roller 94 actuates the crank 9| from the phantom line position of Fig. 10 to a position approximating the full line illustration thereof in said Fig. 10, thereby, through its shaft 89, actuating the cam 96 to the position where its larger peripheral portion 98 engages the roller |99 and thereby through the arm ||9 and shaft forces the switch plate H6 into engagement with switch contacts I|4' and ||4. The bridging of the contacts H4 vand ||4 complete the electric circuit to thereby energize solenoid coil |22 causing the valve stem or plunger 2| to be actuated against the resistance of the spring |25 and thereby unseat the valve |29 and permitting a flow through pipe 69, pipe 8l and nipples 86 into the sparging housing channels 19. This flow, as noted above is timed to occur when the hop flowers or other materials being strained is passing over the sparging plate 83 so that the sparging medium engaging the under side of the said hop flowers or other materials causing same to be substantially upwardly actuated and to be sub.- stantially turned over. At the same time the hop flowers and other materials are separated from one another to break up any pockets that may have been formed between these portions during their movement from the entrant end of the strainer. The sparger operates so long as the hop flowers or other material is being moved over their plates or until the rakes, which are actuating the hop owers, or other material, has passed thereover at which time the chain roller 94 has reached the position to permit the crank 9| to assume the phantom line position 95 of Fig. l0 thereby bringing the low peripheral portion of the cam 96 into operation relative to the roller |98. The spring l associated with the electric switch separates the switch plate ||6 from the contacts H4 and ||4 thereby breaking the electric circuit and de-energizing the solenoid coil |22. The de-energization of the solenoid coil |22 permits the spring |25 to expand and return the valve |29 to its seat ||9 and stop flow through the solenoid controlled valve |l9. As was noted above there is a separate control roller 94 on the chain 86 for each rake member 59 and is so positioned with respect to one another that the sparging-device 15 and '|6 are actuated as each rake member approaches them for pushing the hop owers or other materials thereacross.

From the foregoing it is believed now evident that there has been provided a device that will accomplish the objects initially set forth,

Whatis claimed is:

1. In a straining and sparging device of the class described the combination of a strainer trough having a perforated bottom, means for moving material to be strained along the perforated bottom to permit drainage from said material, means at spaced intervals below said trough perforated bottom sparging the material upwardly through the trough'f bottom' perforae tions'- and separating-the particles'of the material during `the movementithereof 'relative ltothe said sparging fand' separating means; means for' actus' ating `said sparging andv control meansV operableby-the material Imovingmeans-for vvopereatin'g the sparging Imeansactuating means:

"2L `In a straining andspargingfdevicerof the class described thefc'ombin'ation-o'fa strainer* trough including al perforated bottom; power actuatedspaced `means for movingmateri'a'lto be' strained along the-troughperforated'bottom, a-

sparging and separating meansincluding apenfora-ted plate forming part offtlfie` trough per-1 forated bottom andv operable 'on *the* materialb'rought th'eretolby the spaced" material moving means upwardly'of the-"trough-perforated .bot-4 tom, and means for intermittently-actuatingsaid spargingA and separating meanswhenthespacedl material mov-ing `means is moving the material over the sparkingand separating, means perforated plate.

`3: In astrainingrand sparging; deviceanfrtrie class described the combinationof:iaistrainer;V

said pipe, and an intermittently actuated switch for effecting and controlling the operation of the electro-magnetic valve.

fi. In a straining and sparging device of Vthe class described the combination of a strainer trough including a perforated bottom, power actuated meansl for moving material to be strained along the trough perforated bottom, a sparging and separating means including a perfor-ated plate forming part of the trough perforated bottom and operable on the material upwardly of the trough perforated bottom, means for intermittently actuating said sparging and separating means, comprising a sparging medium supply pipe, an electro-magnetic control valve in said pipe, an intermittently actuated switch for effecting and controlling the operation of the electro-magnetic valve, and means associated with the power actuated material moving means for operating the switch.

' 5. in a straining and sparging device of the class described the combination of a strainer trough including a perforated bottom to permit drainage therethrough, means for moving ma# terial to be drained along the perforated bottom, including a plurality of rakelike members, endless. chains at the opposite sides of said rakelike members for effecting the movement thereof, a sparger below the trough perforated bottom, and means carried .by said endless chains for intermittently actuating the sparger.

6. In a straining and sparging device of the class described the combination of a strainer trough including a perforated bottom to permit drainage therethrough, means for moving material to be drained along the perforated bottom, including a plurality of rakelike members, endless chains at the opposite sides of said rakelike asse/gse ibi members-for" effecting-"the movementthereof,

- sparger" `below the troughVA perforated bottom,

means .carried l'by 'said' 'endless chains for `inter-- mittentiy' actuatinglthe sparger.' said ralielilie membersadaptedfA to actuate `thellaterial to "be drained acrossfthesparger, and said actuating meansiforthe sparger Vbeing`A- positioned onthe" chains for" operation when successive rakelik'e membersV are within "the vicinity ofI the j sparger:

-sparger below Ithe trough' perforated bottom,k

means` Ycarried byf said endless chains'A for inter of matenuy :actuating the sparge-r, saidinterina:

tentLoperation*offthe'fspargerlbeing for 'an lappreciable periodic time andsaidactuatirrg 'means' being-retained 1- in operativeposition fon-the said appreciable length l of' time.

8'.'- Inr a straining-and" sparging devicesoftheL class described;1the`-combination of` a` strainer trough including- Jalper-frated trough bottom; and

a -sparger below-fand intermediate the "ends rof -theperiorated 'trough bottom extendingv transversely4 thereof includingfa perforated plate havingits upper surface intheplane of the perforatedfbote torn, and achanneled body memberdepending below the perforated Eplatefro'm which aspa-rgling medium-*islupwardly projected through the-'perl' forated plate.

'9.2' In a strainingand sparging'dvice'- ofthe cla-ss described "tlie `combinatitm of Vastrainerl trough .including af-perforated "'-trough bottom, a`

spargerl bel'owJ-andfA intermedia-te the* ends 'ofi the perforated trough bottom extending transversely thereof including a perforated plate having its upper surface in the plane of the perforated bottom, a channeled body member depending below the perforated plate from which a sparging medium is upwardly projected through the perforated plate, a sparging medium supply pipe connected with the channel ofthe body member, and means in said supply pipe intermittently operable for effecting intermittent upward pro- `iection of the sparging medium.

10. In a straining and sparging device of the class described the combination of a strainer trough including a perforated trough bottom, a sparger below and intermediate the ends of the perforated trough bottom extending transversely thereof including a perforated plate having its upper surface in the plane of the perforated bottorn, a channeled body Vmember depending below the perforated plate from which a sparging medium is upwardly projected through the perforated plate, a sparging medium supply pipe connected with the channel of the body member, means in said supply pipe intermittently operable for effecting intermittent upward projection of the sparging medium, power actuated means for moving material along the trough perforated bottom to permit drainage from said material,

and control means for the supply pipe flow means operable by the material moving power actuated means.

11. In a straining and sparging device of the class described the combination of a strainer trough including a perforated trough bottom, power actuated means for moving material along the trough bottom, a sparger below and intermediate the ends of the perforated trough Vbotdium, including an electro-magnetic valve, and

a switch intermittently operable by the material power actuated moving means for controlling the operation of the magnetic valve.

12. In a strainingand sparging device of the class described the combination of a strainer trough including a perforated bottom relative to which material moves, a pair of sparging devices below and intermediate the ends of the perforated trough bottom extending transversely thereof, each including a perforated plate having its upper surface in the plane of the upper surface of the trough perforated bottom and each perforated plate having a body member depending therefrom, each of said body members having a channel longitudinally thereof communicating with the apertures in its perforated plate, a common sparging medium supply pipe for said body members channels, and intermittently operable means in the common supply pipe for controlling and effecting an intermittent ow of the sparging medium through the supply pipe and sparging body members channels when the material is in operative relation to the sparging devices perforated plates.

13. In a straining and sparging device of the class described the combination of a strainer trough including a perforated bottom, a pair of sparging devices below and intermediate the ends l2 of the perforated trough bottom extending transversely thereof each including a perforated plate having its upper surface in the plane of the upper surface of the trough perforated bottom and each perforated plate having a body member depending therefromeach of said body members having a channel longitudinally thereof communicating with the apertures in its perforated plate, a common sparging medilun supply pipe for said body members channels, intermittently operable means in the common supply for controlling and effectingan intermittent ow of the sparging medium through the supply pipe and sparging body members channels, power actuated means for moving material along the strainer bottom to permit drainage from said material, and control means operable by said material moving means for operating the sparging medium flowY means in the sparging supply pipe.

ALVIN HOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 703,846 Stewart July 1, 1902 957,981 Millspaugh May 17, 1910 1,555,849 Ingram Oct. 6, 1925 1,793,449 Bassler Feb. 17, 1931 1,932,827 Morris et al Oct. 31, 1933 2,034,784 Wallny Mar. 24, 1936 2,149,748 Samuel Mar. 7, 1939 2,217,751 Hughes Oct. 15, 1940 2,368,662 Jordan Feb. 6, 1945 2,412,400 Hock Dec. 10, 1946 2,529,882 Mittman Nov. 14, 1950 

